Dynamic tolerance method of testing bearings with means for carrying same into effect



Sept 16 1947' R. c. MCKENDRY A DYNAMIGTOLERANCE METHOD 0FTESTING BEARINGS WITH MEANS FOR CARRYING SAME INTO EFFECT Filed March' 12, 1945 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 TEE-l v INVENToR. ,Qc/M20 /VaA/E/voey sept- '16 fl947- R. c. MCKENDRY 2,427,364 v DYNAMIC TOLERANCE METHOD 0F TESTING BEARINGS WITH MEANS FOR CARRYING SAME INTO EFFECT Filed March l2, 1945 3 Sheets-Sheet -Patented Sept. 16, 1947 DYNAIWIC TOLERANCE METHOD OF TEST- ING BEARINGS WITH MEANS FOR CARRY- ING SAME INTO EFFECT Richard C. McKendry, Dayton, Ohio Application March 12, 1945, Serial No. 582,379

(Cl. 'I3- 432) (Granted under the act of March 3, 1883, as amended April 30, 1928; 370 0. G. 757) Claims.

The invention described herein may be manufactured and used by or for the Government for governmental purposes, Without the payment to me of any royalty thereon.

This invention relates to a method and means for testing bearings, having particular reference to precision antifriction bearings.

It is well known that the element of precision and perfection in antifriction bearings varies greatly, and numerous testing methods have been devised to insure in each case a degree of freedom from friction losses commensurate with the use to which the bearing is to be put. These testing methods comprise static checks for radial and axial play which at best indicate only the clearances at some chance points, or running the bearings under load, electric torque tests, tests for dynamic unbalance, etc., the latter under the assumption that the vibration manifestations are due to an out of balance bearing, when they are in fact usually due to looseness, roughness, or minute deposits of carbon or other foreign matter on the balls or races.

It is therefore an object of this invention to provide a method and means for testing bearings which, although it is not intended to replace such tests as the conventional checks on bore and diameter, or running the bearing under load, etc., will indicate the resultant of all the clearances as well as the surface conditions and general action and thereby furnish a basis upon which the performance of any bearing in a given situation may be predicted, and therefore further sort or discriminate between bearings which, when tested by conventional methods, were presumed to possess a like degree of perfection.

I attain this and other objects by the method and the means described in the following specification and shown in the drawings, wherein:

Fig. l is a front elevation, partly in section, of a test stand which is the main portion of the equipment by means of which I carry my testing method into effect.

Fig. 2 is an end view of the test stand also shown partly in section.

CTI

Fig. 3 is a more or less diagrammatic View 2 has a headstock I2 and a tailstock I4 spaced thereon and secured thereto. A head spindle I6 is slidable in a sleeve I8 presstted in the headstock I 2. A hand screw 20 is provided for locking the spindle I6 in any position within the range of its axial movement.

A tail spindle 22 is slidable in bushings 24 which are pressfltted in the tailstock I4. A spring 26, surrounds the tail spindle 22; its rearward end resting against a bushing 24 and its forward end against a collar 28 which is axially adjustable on the spindle 22 by means of a setscrew 29. A cover 3l protects the spindle against dirt and grit from the outside.

A bellcrank 32 is hinged at 34 to a bracket 36 which is fast to the tailstock I4. The upper end of the bell crank is bifurcated to receive the tail spindle 22 between its prongs. A collar 38 against which the bellcrank-acts is axially adjustable on the tail spindle 22 by means of the screw 39. A pedal rod 40 is hinged to the outer end of the bellcrank for operation by a pedal (not shown).

Frustoconical head and tail centers 42 and 44 are provided, the centers adapted to hold a limited range of bearing sizes, but are made removable so that larger or smaller centers may be provided when larger or smaller sizes of bearings are to be tested. A bucket wheel43 having a rim 45 and web 46 has its hub 4'1 bored centrally for a hand-push t over the outer race of a bearing 48. Buckets 50 are formed in the rim 45 of the wheel, whereby the wheel may be rotated by air under pressure. The web 46 of the wheel 43 has a stroboscopic pattern 4I painted thereon which is half black and half white as shown in Fig. 3. The wheel may preferably be made of aluminum or similar light metal or it may be made cf molded plastic, or of paper, with a stroboscopic pattern painted or printed thereon or printed on paper and pasted thereon or otherwise attached thereto. In any event the weight of the wheel should not exceed several ounces. The shape of the buckets 50 may be curved as in Fig. l, straight across like saw teeth, or on large size bearings the airstream may be applied tangentially to the Outer bearing race directly, without employing the bucket-wheel, if so desired.

A bracket 52 is slidably fitted to a channel 54 in the bedplate Il] for transverse adjustment of the bracket on the bedplate. A screw 56 extends through a slot 58 into a tapped opening in the bedplate for locking the bracket in the adjusted position.

An air nozzle 6E! is carried on the bracket 52 and is provided with an adjustment 62 on its diskby tightening-the thumb screw 8%'. ing Vring 88 is held to the flange 62V by screws Si).

3 charge end. The operating position of the nozzle 60, when using a bucket wheel of the size shown, is indicated by the dotted outline 6ta. A rubber hose 54 andi-piping 66 connects; the nozzle to an, air supplytank 68. 'A gauge l indicates the pressure in the tank. A control valve 'l2 is employed to regulate the nozzle pressure, a manometer 16. or other accurate pressure gauge being arranged to indicate when the desired nozzle pressure achieved.

Axially slidable on the forward end of the tail spindle 22 is a cup-shaped member 16 which may be pushed forward against the Arim 5 `of the bucket wheel 33 to align the wheel, that is, to bring the face of the wheel into a planey normal to the axis of the tail spindle 22. This is particularly essential when testing",self-aligning bearings so as to start thetest with the outer race of the bearing in alignment with the inner race.

. The member 16 may alsoserve as a brake for holding'the bucket wheel i3 from rotation until other adjustments'are made. When 'thus used as a brake, `the thumblscrew "ISimay be tightened to hold the member v'I6 in the braking position.

Axially slidable on the head spindle IS isa side wobble-detecting-member -80 which comprises a ilange'BZ andhub 84 which may be` moved axially on the spindle to a desired position and held there An insulat- A contact screw 92 hasga contact point 9d and is electrically insulated from-the flange 82 Vby an insulating bushing 96. A conductor 98 is provided for bringing an'electriccurrent to the contact `screw- 92. The insulatedconductor S may be connected to'onetermina-l of abattery il!!y which Vhas the other terminal` groundedyto the bedplate l)l at'|'l)|;- Afwindow 10B in the web 82 is pro- Y. contact. with the bucket wheel 143.

` inchin thirty seconds.

breaks the static friction and starts rotating, Vread the pressure required to start it on the videdfor` illumination and for visual inspection.

of the stroboscopic pattern, 4| `on theweb of the bucket wheel-43 the Strobotac 162, a stroboscopic 'tachometen -being-so placedA as to illuminate the patternA 4l `through the windowr lll. A knob 193 is conventionallyprovided on the `Strobotac for setting-the device to give-the desired number of `V-flaslres iper' `minute: -A smaller window IEM vis located about one-quarter turn 'from thev larger Figs' l 2 and 3 may preferably be substantially asfollows:l i

" Assume that'the pressure'in the airsupply tank 58 is'being maintainedl substantially; constant by some suitablesource of supply, and that the nozzle 60 has'been adjusted to proper tangency, put a bearing 48,"which may preferably have already been givensuch yconventional checks as its intended use may require, by finger pressure into a bucket wheel 43. If pressure-greater than nger pressure is requiredto insert the bearing into the wheel, a'wheel witha shade larger boreishould be selected.v When assembled together; mount the bearing'and wheel between the centers l2-dii as shown (see Fig..l)aby withdrawing the tail center 44 with a foot `pedal (not shown) which acts `through the bellcrank32 ,to withdraw the tail vspindle l22 to the right So that the bearing and wheelmay be entered. If the nozzle stream is not nowcentered withthe vcenters Aof the buckets, loosen the screw 20 and adjust the head spindle axially to bring the nozzle and brackets into alignment.l

Now loosen the thumb screw ll and move aligning member 'I6 axially to the left until it .contacts the edge of the bucket wheel so as to bring the edge of the outer race of the bearing into a plane normal to the axis. This operation kis especially.necessary when the bearing is a lself-aligning one with two rows of balls as in an SKF type.

Now withdraw the aligning member l@ from Thereafter, with an eye on. .the bucket wheel, open the valve l2 very gradually, so that pressure increase will be at av rate not more than one pound per square When the bucket wheel manometer 14. This test should be repeated, selecting at least three different relative positions fbetween the inner and outer race as the starting point and recording the highest of the three tests. For purposes of description this recorded manometer reading in lbs. per square inch will Vbe Called the Initial Friction which, in the present system, is the rst element of discrimination by which subsequent performance of the bearingmay be evaluated.

It is noted, however, that where the initial friction test stands-alone asin prior practice, it does not definitely determine anything, for the reason thata high initial friction reading may be obtained where the balls and races are either Y rough -and tted loosely, or. nely finished but fitted too closely, and the initial friction test standing alone does not indicate which of these two conditions is present. Other elements of discrimination,- however,which are hereinafter described are introduced to show which of the two conditions is present.

As a second step of the system align the bucket w-heel `by using the member 15, and tighten the screw 'I8 to holldthe bucket Awheel nonrotative. Loosen the screw y86 andbring the member 85 to the right until the contact 94 is within .046" to .062 of touching the rim of the bucket wheel, the distance depending on the use to which the bearing is to be put. The distance may be determined with a feeler gauge. Now set the Stro-botac at say fifteen hundred flashes per minute, for although itis not toV be used for this, the second step of the test, it will then be Yready for its part in the third step which im- Vmediately follows thesecond. Next openA the control v'alve'lZ'slowly. and observe the manom- YeterTM until it shows a nozzle pressure which working surfaces or to looseness between the balls and races whichpermits too great axial play. If the side wobble at the grounded wheel 43'is greater than the space between the edge of the wheel and the contact point 94, a circuit will be made and broken atthev end of the Contact point at each revolution ofthe wheel, the flashes due to breaking of the circuit being visible to indicate that the wobble is in excess of the permissible value. The wobble is usually maximum near the beginning off accelerationand it may be that it is initiated by the fact that the circumferential speed of the buckets is at this time. less than i the linear speed of the airstrealm which may caluse -air to spill rst out of Vone side then out of the other. In 4any event, the wobble has been found by experiment Vto be a function of the axial play in the bearing. The bearing passesV this test when the wobble is less than that amount necessary to cause theedge of the bucket wheel to make contact with the contact point 94. The bearing is marked with a minus if the wobble is below thestandard selected for the particular installation in which the bearing is to be used, and with a plus if it is above the selected standard. For purposes of description, the side wobble just described will be referred to as the dynamic end play, which is the second element of discrimination in the test of a bearing by the dynamic tolerance method.

The third element of discrimination by which the performance of the bearing is evaluated will hereinafter be referred to as the coordinate speed.

Since the maximum dynamic end play manifests itself inthe very early stages of acceleration, and coordinate speed becomes evident only after acceleration has progressed to a relatively high speed, the coordinate speed test may preferaibly be made immediately following the dynamic end play test without internupting the acceleration of the bucket wheel.

As acceleration progresses toward the higher value at which coordinate speed manifests itself, the wobble gradually diminishes and substantially disappears.

Now watch the stroboscopic pattern closely through the window |00 as the bucket wheel accelerates under the selected constant pressure. When the pattern 4| suddenly seems to have ceased rotating, which of course occurs when the bucket wheel reaches a speed of 1500 R. P. M. turn the VStrobotac knob |03 upward fast enough to maintain the Strobotac flashes coincident with the increasing R. P. M. of the bucket wheel. That the knob is being turned fast enough to keep pace with the increasing R. P. M. of the bucket wheel will be indicated if the pattern remains nonrotative. By careful adjustment of the Strobotac knob, the line which divides the black and white portions of the pattern may be made to remain in a substantially fixed position in the window |00, a preferable position to hold it being about thirty degrees anticlockwise of the.

vertical center line as seen in Fig. 2. If the line which divides the black and white portions of the pattern 4| is being held steady in this position throughout the period of acceleration of the wheel, :a speed will finally be reached at which, without further adjustment of the Strobotac, the pattern will drop, i. e., the pattern will turn so that the dividing line between the black and White portions will move clockwise indicating that deceleration has begun, and may appear in the smaller window |64.

When this drop in bucket wheel R. P. M. starts after `acceleration ceases, let go of the knob |03, stop the bucket wheel and make record ofthe Strobotac setting. This recorded Strobotac reading will be the coordinate speed. The cause of this 'coordinate speed at which a bearing ceases acceleration and shows a tendency to drop in R. P. M. is not definitely understood.

Whatever may be. the cause of the phenomenon, however, it is noted that when a bearing has little radial play the phenomenon occurs at a. lower speed than when the bearing has a higher radial play. Thus it'has been determined by experiment thatif the radial play of a series of bearings of acertainsize is 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, or 9 tengthousandths of an'inch,other'th`ings being 6 equal, the coordinate speed will be 1900, 1950, 2000, 2200i, 2400, 2700 and 3500 R. P. M. respectively. With a constant nozzle pressure and the same temperature, and other conditions being equal, this check Will show the "coordinate speed to be constant for the same bearing no matter how often the test is repeated.

It will now be seen that where the first element of discrimination, initial friction may indicate either looseness or roughness, the second element dynamic end play indicates that it is loose at least axially and will further indicate the extent of this axial looseness, while the third element coordinate speed will show whether the bearing has radial play and how much. Moreover, these checks not only indicate the condition at several points within the bearing as is the case where conventional checks are employed but they indicate the condition of the bearing at all points,

i. e., the checks are running checks as against the static checks of common practice.

By establishing tolerances appropriate to the situation in which the bearings are to be used, a series of bearings which, when checked by conventional methods are presumed to be alike, by the dynamic tolerance tests may be further sorted into several grades of varying reiinement, each appropriate to the installation in which it is to be used.

In the modification shown in Figs. 4 and 5 which is a less expensive arrangement than that hereinbefore shown, the Strobotac |02 of Fig. 3 is replaced by a neon light |06, and the pattern 4| of Fig. 3 by a pattern |08. The member 80 shown in Figs. 1 and 2 may be retained although it is not necessary that the image be viewed through the window ||U. Pattern I 08 is shown to an enlarged scale in Fig. 5 and consists of three circular spaces, the outer circular space designated A being divided into 12 equal spaces, six black and six white, the next space, designated B, into eight equal spaces, four black and four white, and the third space, designated C, into six equal spaces, three black and three white.

The equation for determining the R. P. M. at which the revolving images A, B, and C will appear to be stationary is,

D F S-R wherein, v F=number of flashes per minute. S=number of black spaces in circle. Dznumber of black spaces reaching a given point per flash. v R=R. P. M. at which the pattern will appear stationary.

By employing the above equation, it may be shown that with a neon light, on 60 cycle A. C. current, flashing 3600 times per minute, the images A and C both appear to cease rotation when the pattern is rotating either 1200 or 2400 R. P. M., the images A and B appear to cease rotation when the pattern is rotating 1800 R. P. M., the image B- alone appears to cease rotation when the pattern is rotating 2700 R. P. M., while at 3600 R. P.4 M. all images appear to stop. Thus while itis not possible, with this'modication, to determine exactly the R.,P. M. of a rotating part, it is possible to determine when it is rotating more than 1200 or less than 1800 R. P. M. or more than 1800 and less than 2400 R. P. M., etc., and thisv degree of perfection may be suilicient where the use vto lwhich the bearings are'to be put does not call for'too great accuracy. Having described r an embodiment of A my invention. 4and a 'modification thereof, Iclaim lfThemethod of testing antifrictionbearingsv todetermine their overall degree of. runningperfection,'which` consists of supporting the bearing bythe inner race', leaving the: outer race free to rotate, applying a tangentially directedairstream to'rotate the outer'race Withoutmechanical orl electrical connection thereto, vgradually increasf ing the pressure of the vairs'trearn until the outer race begins rotation,` repeating the latter. test by beginning s at diierent fpoints, tabulating the highest pressure at which theouter race began rotation, stoppingrotation of the'outer-race and4 putting it into va plane Vnormal lto the axis of rotation, raising the pressurev ofdzheairstrearnk to double the said highest tabulatedpressure, releasing. the outer `vrace to be rotated and con-` tinuously accelerated bythe said doubled vair pressure, whereby saidv outer race at rstwobbles axially, determining and recording theextent of said axial wobble, continuing vthe acceleration under said. doubled pressure until `said wobble substantially disappears, further-continuing the acceleration under said doubled pressure Yuntil saidfacceleration ceases and begins to drop and recording the speed at which said acceleration ceased and` began to drop.

2. The method of testing antifriction bearings, which consists of supporting the bearingby the inner race, leaving the outer race free t0. rotate, applyinga tangentiallyndirected airstream to rotate the outer race without mechanical or electricalconnection thereto, gradually increasing the pressure of the airstream until the outerrace begins rotation, tabulating the pressure atwhich the outer race began rotation, stopping vrotation of v.theouter race and bringingjit into a plane normal to the axis of rotation, raisingthe pres,l sure of the airstream toa predetermined constant value which is double the said tabulated pressure, releasing the outerrace to be rotated and continuously accelerated by the vsaid predetermined constant air pressure, whereby said outer race at first wobbles axially, determining and recording the extent of said axial wobble, continuing the acceleration under the said predetermined ccnstant pressure until saidwobble substantially disappears, further continuing the acceleration under the said predetermined constant pressure until said accelerationl CeaSesand deceleration of thev outer race, raising the pressure 'of the airstream to ,a predetermined constantvalue, releasinghthe outer race to be rotated and vcontinuously accelerated bythe said4 predetermined constant air pressure, wherebyV Said outerrace at rst wobbles axially,determining and recordingstheextent of said axial wobble, continuing the acceleration under the said, predetermined constant pressure until said wobbler substantially disappears, further ,continuingthe acceleration undersaid pred t rmirldlnstant pressure until.

Saeleefsi' .fl-,ceases andareording the speed.4 at which said acceleration ceased..

4. Steps in. the method of .testing antifriction.

bearings,.which consists of supporting the bearing by the inner race, leaving the outer race free to rotate, "applying an. airstream to rotate the outer race, gradually increasing the pressure of the airstream until-the outer race begins rotation, tabulating Ythe pressure at which the .outer race began rotation, stopping rotation of the outer race, raising the pressure ofthe airstream to a predetermined constant value, releasing the outer race to be rotated land continuously accelerated by the said predetermined constant air pressure, continuing the acceleration under said predetermined constantl pressure until said acceleration ceases, and recording the speed at which said acceleration ceased. l

5. A step in the method of testing antiiriction bearings which consists of supporting the bearing by the-innerrace, holding the outer race against rotation, applying a constant pressure airstream `to the outer race'to rotate it, releasing the outer race for rotation, -causing the outer race to accelerate under the said constant pressure airstream until said acceleration ceases and noting the speed atfwh'i'ch said acceleration ceases.

6. A step in the method of testing antifriction bearings which Yconsists of supporting the bearing bythe inner race, holding the outer race against rotation, applying a constant pressure airstream to the outer race to rotate it, releasing the outer race for rotation, causing the outer race to accelerate under said constant pressure wherebysaid outer'race Wobbles axially at the beginning `of rotation, and measuring the extent of s said axial wobble.

to the axis and hold it against rotation and to,

anotherY position tol release said outer race for rotation,V whereby said bucket Wheel wobbles axiallyv during the beginning oi acceleration, means'tomeasure said wobble, an air pressure source, means for connecting said source to said nozzle, al valve in vthe connecting means for regulating the pressure at said nozzle, gage means for indicating'the nozzle pressure, and means to indicatethe maximumspeed at which acceleration ceases at a given Ygage pressure and for a given freedom in said bearing.

8.A Apparatus for testing antifriction bearings, Whichconsists of a means for supporting a bearing by the inner race thereby-holding said inner race .nonrotative, an airrdriven wheel tted to the outer raceto rotate therewith, a nozzle positioned onv said supporting means for directing a tangential airstrearn to rotate the said wheel,`an aligningand holding means operable to one positionto align said outer race in a plane normal t0 ,theaxis and hold. it against rotation and to another. position to yrelease said outerlrace for rotation, whereby said wheel wobbles axiallyduring, `the, beginning of acceleration, means -to measure said wobble, an airpressure source connectedlo said nozzle, a valve between said source and said nozzle for regulatingthe pressure-atsaidnozzle, gagemeans for .indicating the nozzle l pressure and .means..to .indicate theHRPM atwhich` maximum acceleration is reached With ay given gage pressure and for a given freedom in said bearing.

9. Apparatus for testing antifriction bearings, which consists of a test stand for supporting a bearing by the inner race thereby holding said inner race nonrotative, a bucket Wheel tted to the outer race to rotate therewith, a nozzle so positioned on said supporting means as to direct a tangential airstream to rotate the said bucket Wheel, an aligning and holding disc coaxial with said wheel operable to one position to align ysaid outer race in a plane normal to the axis and hold it against rotation and to another position to release said outer race for rotation, whereby said bucket wheel wobbles axially during the beginning of acceleration, means to measure said wobble, an air pressure source connected to said nozzle, a valve between said nozzle and said source for regulating the pressure at said nozzle, gage means between said valve and said nozzle for indicating the nozzle pressure, and stroboscopic means to indicate the maximum R. P. M. at which acceleration ceases at a given gage pressure and for a given freedom in said bearing.

10. Apparatus for testing antifriction bearings, which consists of a test stand having coaxial head and tail spindles, conical centers in the interfacing ends of said spindles for supporting a bearing by the inner race thereby holding said inner race nonrotative, an air actuated wheel 10 tted to the outer race to rotate therewith, a nozzle on said test stand positioned for directing an airstream to rotate the said wheel, an aligning disc operable to one position to align said outer race in a plane normal to the axis and to another position to release said outer race for rotation, whereby said Wheel wobbles axially during the beginning of acceleration, a gauge on said stand to measure said wobble, an air pressure source connected to said nozzle, a valve interposed between said source and said nozzle for regulating the pressure at said nozzle, gage means for indicating the nozzle pressure, and an adjustable stroboscope tachometer to indicate maximum R.. P. M. at which acceleration ceases at a given gage pressure and for a given freedom in said bearing.

RICHARD C. MCKENDRY.

REFERENCES CITED The' following references are of record in the le of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,252,695 Hopkins Jan. 8, 1918 2,383,588 Bousky Aug. 28, 1945 2,333,040 Pope Oct. 26, 1943 2,127,605 Kucher et al Aug. 23, 1938 

